Aeroplane.



WQA. BREWER.

ABROPLANB.

APPLIOATIN FILED sEP'r.22,1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHBBT 1.

' mvsm'on .Y IMA-Brewer. EyA

wlTNEss'Es W. A. BREWER.

AEROPLANB.

APPLICATION HLBD sEPT.22,1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

nn 4 ld wr-Nssses l 0mg OSE/t] W. A. BREWER.

AEROPLANE.

APPLIOATION FILED sBPT.22,1911.

Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 3.

' WITNESSES 1 W. A. BREWER.

AIIROPLAIIEf- APPLICATION lfILED s131222. 1911.

1,021, 1,29. Patented Mar. 26, 1912.

,4 BHEETB-SHEBT 4.

WITNESSES n INVE'NTOR 14C/q. Breuf" J@ l 1 To all/whom, t may concern lUivrrnn STATES PATENT oFFloE.

. WILLIAM A. BREWER, F PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

AEROPLANE.

Beit known that I, WILLIAM A. Bmwnn, a citizen -ofthe United States ofAmerica, residing at Pittsburgh, in the countyof Alf legheny and Stateof Pennsylvania, have yinvented certain neuT and useful Improvements inAeroplanes, of which the following isa specification, reference beinghad there in to the accompanying drawing.

This inventio-n relates to aeroplanes, and

. my invention aims to provide First, an air craft havlngsteermg planesIndependent of the sustaining planes, whereby it will not be necessarytol move or Warp the mam sustaining planes to steer'or guide the aircraft. ,y Second, an air crafthaving a body A.that o "rs the leastresistance possible to air whe f in Hight. Third, a body, or frame workthat is`rigid and durable, thereby in- 20,suring stability when inflight or when landing. Fourth, an air craft having a boat shapedsub-structure that facilitates the 4landing upon water, the safety ofthe aviator, and the ascent or flight of the air craft. Fifth,afsteering mechanism for aeroplanes that is easy to operate and highlyefficient `for thepurposes for which it is intended.

Sixth, an adjustable starting gear for air crafts that can be swung to aposition to facilitate the ascent of t-he craft from a body of water.

The invention further aims to accomplish the above results by acombination of mechanical elements that will be hereinafter specificallydescribed and then claimed.

Reference will now be had to the drawings wherein like numerals denotecorresponding parts throughout the several views inwhich:-

Figure 1 isa plan of the aeroplane. Fig. 2 is a rear: viewof the same.Fig. 3 is a front view of the machine. Fig. 4 is a diagrammatic plan ofthe steering mechanism.

Fig.5`is a side elevation of the aeroplane.V

intermediate frames. -The front frames l and 2 are smaller than theintermediate as wellasthe rear frames, and said front, rea

' Specification of Letters Patent.

Application led September 22, 1911. Serial No. @$0,702. l

Latented Mar. 26, 1912.

and intermediate frames are connected by longitudinal rods 6 and 7,thereby forming a skeleton body portion or frame that tapers from therear end thereof to the forward en d. The skeleton frame is providedwith a cover 8 lthat is inverted V shaped interme- 'diate the endsthereof and W shapedat the ends. `The'cover can be made of canvas,4

lightI and durable sheet metal or other material. and suitably securedto the frames and the rods. l

The front frames 1 and 2 are provided with a transverse plane frame 9that is suitablyl connected to the upper edges ofthe -frames 1 and2,;these plane frames supporting covers or sheets 10 made of silk orother vmain plane, whereby the rear or free ends of the sub-planes canbe raised or lowered. To accomplish this movement of the `sul planes.each sub-plane has the hinged edge thereof provided with a vertical mast13 that Vextends above and below the sub-plane. The ends of the mast areconnected byv cables 14 to the rear end of the sub-plane, as at 15. Theends of the mast'are also connected to cables 1G and 1,9"that extendlover sheaves or pulleys 17 and 18, carried by the forward edge of themain plane frame 9. The sheaves 17 are in longitudinal alinement withthe axes of a sub-plane and the sheaves 18 are located at the forwardend of the skeleton frame of the craft, whereby the cables, 16 and 19can extend rearwardly between the intermediate frames 5 of the aircraft. The rods 7, adjacent to the rear vend of the air craft, supportsa transverse revoluble steering shaft 20 and mounted upon this shaft aredrums 21 and 22 yto which the cables 16 and 19 are connected. The cables16 are connected to the drums whereby they will wind upon said drumswhile the cables 19 unwind, or vice versa, the cables 16 and 19 beingmaintained taut, whereby a movement of the shaft 20 will elevate orlower-the sub-planes.

The cables attached'to the drum 21 operate the reverse of the cableswhich are at- 'zol tached to the drum 22 without interfering with eachother-` The shaft is a tube or sleeve formed of two sections having ashaft extending therethrough, the latter providing a spindle on whichthef'sections of the shaft'.` 20 turn, and 'by such" an arrangement thesub-planes upon one side maybe elevated,

and the sub-planes on the other. sidelowered, at 'thesame timepermitting ofthe craft be v ing steered to right or left, or thesub-planes sub-planes, however, can be. maintained 1n4 elevated .orlowered at thesame time. The

largersize, whereby the rear end of the l are rear sub-planes 25. Thesesub-planes craft will be sustained'and the-craft prop.

verly balanced. The rear Stationary plane 2 3 is :slightly curved and'hinged or pivotally connected kto the rear'edge thereof, as at. 2 4,

are somewhat similar to the forward sub- 'planes 11, but ,they arearranged closertogether in order to move through a strata of air that isout of alinement with the' forward sub-plane.

y closer together, the rear subplanes and thel forward sub-planes, uponone sideof the craft can more readily coperatein steering the machine tothe right or left, as' with the rear sub-plane closer to thelongitudinal axis of the craft a sharper curve or elevation can be madeby the airv craft. The rear subplanes 23 havev mast 26 and cables27'and`128 arranged similar to )the mast 13 and the cables-16 and '19 ofthe forward sub-planes..

The cables 27 and 28 pass oversheaves 29 and 30, carried by the forwardedge of the rear main plane 23. The cables 27 and 28 are attached todrums 31 mounted .upon the shaft 20, and said cables are adapted to windand unwind upon the drum similar to the cables 16 a'nd 19 upon the drums21 and 22. The shaft 20 is preferably made in two sections with thesections'of the shaft indef pendently supported by the rods 7, wherebyone end of the shaft can be rotated and the opposite end of the shaft inthe.other direc* tion. For instance, the sub-planes upon one side of theair craft can be'lowered while the sub-planes upon the opposite side canbe elevated. To facilitate the movements of the shaft 20, the inner endsof the sections are provided with large hand wheels 32 andthese handwheelsfare in proximity to the aviators seat, as will hereinafterappear.

The longitudinal rods 7 -throughout the length of the air craft areconnected by transverse rods 33 and said rods at the for- Ward end ofthe craft support an engine 34 or other source of power for driving apropeller 35 located in frontV of the air craft and in the longitudinalaxis of said craft In arranging the sub-planes 25l AThe'engine 34 is ofan ordinary and well known type,.common to many aeroplanes o-rmonoplanes and said engine can be controlled by a suitable mechanismextending in proximity to the aviators seat.

Suspended from the rods 33 by hangers 36 is a boat-shaped body 37 havinga suitable frame-work covered with waterproof material, as especiallyprepared silk, canvas or other lightfand durable material. Theboat-shaped body, 37 is of a siiicient size to accommodate Ipassengersor matter to. l

be transported, and adjacent to lthe rear end of the body there is anaviators seat 38 in proximity to theshaft 20.l

Pivotally connected to one of the rods 33, contiguous to--the rear Vendoft-he air l craft, vthereare 'depending guides 39 for posts 40,carried. by an axle 41 provided with wheels 42. The yposts 40- aremovably mounted 'within .the guides 39 and the lower ends of said.guides are provided -with rearwardly extending arms 43.' lI he posts 40are provided with collars 44 and encircling said posts betweengthearms/43 and the collars 44 are coiled compression springs 45. The axle`41 has ,rearwardly extending inclined guides 46 having the upper endsAlthereof connected to the -arms 43. In the guides 45 are arranged rods47 and the upper ends of said rods are provided with yokes 48 -tolengage over one of the rods 33. Encircling the rods 47, between theyokes 48 and the arms 43, are coiled compression springs 49. The yokes43 are constructed and' arranged whereby they j can be easily shiftedout of engagement with the rod 33,

when, it is desired to swing the axle 41 above axle 4 1 and the elementsjust described con- `the bottom-of the boat-shaped body 37. Thev stitutea rear truck for the air craft 'when upon land, and should the air craftland' in body of Water, therear truck can be swung upwardly tofacilitate,the ascent of the craft from the body of water.

The rods 33, at the forward end of the air craft, supporta dependingguide50'for the stem 51 of a wheel bearing 52, said bearing revolublysupportinga wheel 53 adapted to coperate with the wheels 42 when'the aircraft is upon land. The wheel bearing 52 has a collar 54 and encirclingthe stem 51, between the collar 5 4 and the lowerend of the guide 50, isa coiled compression' spring 55. This spring. coperates. with the`springs 45 and 49 in cushioning the vair(- craft when landing.

-The air craft is equipped with a rudder 56 and this rudder is locatedbetween the rear subplanes 25. The rudder. 56 is of a greater -depththan the rear end of the main frame j head has. the ends` thereofconnected tow v i cables60 thatextend over sheaves 61 downwardly intothe boat body l37. The cables p'a'ssunder 'sheaves 62 to a pivoted footrest 63." '1 he foot rest is connected by cables 64 totheends vof the'axle 65 of the wheel 53,

said `cables passing over sheaves 66 'arranged inl 'the forward" end ofthe boat body 37. The aviator upon the seat 38 can easily shift therudder 56 or the wheel 53, said wheel serving functionally as arudderwhen thebody also insuring a proper balance of the `machine whenin iiight. VVha-t weight there is'in; the' boat body 37 is directly uponthe center line of the' machine. I attach consid-v erable importancetothe forward and rear frames? of the' aeroplane, as these framespresenta greater varea at the upper ends thereofthan at the lower lendsand it is yto vthe upperends thatthe -main sustaining planes areattached. .The shape of the body coperaties .with these'planes inpreventingv they airfcraft from turning turtle, and

i should control be lost of the aeroplane when aty a' considerableheight, the aeroplaney will lglide `to earth in a graceful manner with-0ut`injuring the occupant of the aeroplane `jordamaging the machine.

@The sha e o'f the forward and rear frames provides' our openingsbeneath the main sustaining planes, and it is these openings that reducehead' resistance to -a minimum and prevents' the craft from turningturtle when a gust-of ,wind is encountered.

-L The boat body 35 of the air craft serves' functionally as ahydro-plane when ascending from abody of water and the trucks arelconstructed'to cushion the `air craft when alightig or when travelingover irregular ground. g

.What I claim is:,- 1. An air craft comprising front and rear W-shapedframes,'inte rmed1ate inverted V- shaped frames, longitudinal rodsconnecting lsaid frames, sustaining planes supported by said front andrear frames, and sub-planes "carried by the rear edges of saidsustaining` planes.

2. An air oraftcomprising front and rear W-shaped frames, intermediateinverted .V- shaped'frames, longitudinal rods connecting said frames,sustaining planes supportedfby said, front and rear frames, sub-planescarried'by the rear edges of said sustaining planes, trucks arrangedbelow said `front and rear vvplanes,v and a boat-shaped body suspendedlbeneath said front, rear and 'intermediate frames.

-neath said' intermediate frames, -means at the shaped frames,longitudinal rods'connecting all -of said frames, main sustaining planescarried by said front and rear frames, adjustable sub-planes carried by-the rear edges of said main planes, means located adjacent to said rearframes for adjusting said sub-planes, a boat-shaped. -body suspendedbelow said intermediate frames, a rudder carriedl by said rear planes,and means arranged in said `body foradjusting said rudder.

4. An aeroplanev comprising front Yand rear W-shaped frames,intermediate inl` verted V-shaped frames, longitudinalrods connectingsaid frames, curvedmain sus- 80 taining planes mounted upon said frontand rear frames, adjustable sub-planes carried by the rear edges of saidmain sustaining planes, `la boat shaped body suspended be- 'upper edgeof said body Vfor adjusting said "sub-planes, .a rudder carried by oneof said rear frames, means extending into the bottom of said body foradjusting said rudder, -f trucks carried by said forward and rearframes, means supported by said trucks for cushioning said forward -andrear frames, and means carried by said forward frames for propellingsaid aeroplanes.l

5. An aeroplane comprising a frame including W-shaped end portions and aV- shaped intermediate portion.

6. An aeroplane comprising la frame including W-shaped endportions andan in! vcrtedr V-shaped intermediate portion, saidA frame graduallytapering from t-he front to the rear thereof.

7. An aeroplane comprising Afront andv rear planes arranged inparallelism, said rear plane of greater length and width than said frontplane, a pair of rearwardly extending sub-planes pivotally connected tothe rear edge of each of said front and rear planes, the sub-planesconnected to the front plane being a greater distance apart than 4thedistance between the sub-planes carried by the rear planes.

8. AnV aeroplane .comprisin front and rear planes arranged in paralleism,said rear plane of greaterlength and width than said front plane, apair of rearwardly extending sub-planes ,pivotally connected to the rearedge' of eachl 'of said front and rear planes,

the sub-planes connected to the front plane being a greater distanceapart than thedis- 120 tance between the sub-planes Acarried by the rearplanes, and means for operating the sub-planes simultaneously.

9. An aeroplane comprising a frame having a -Wshaped front, a W-.shapedrear and 125 an inverted V-shaped intermediate portion e'xtending fromthe front to the rear, said W-shaped 'ends of said-frames providing V-shaped openings at each side of the front and' rear, said V-shapedopenings extending 130 longitudinally for a portion of the length ofsaid. frame, planes mounted and secured upon the tops of the W-shapedend portions of said frame.

10. An aeroplane comprising a, frame having a W-shaped front, a W-shapedrear length ofv said frame, planes mounted and 4.secured upon the top ofthe W-shaped rear '15 end portions of said frame, and apair ofsub-planes secured to the rear edge of each of said planes.

1-1. An aeroplane comprising a frame including W-shaped end portions andan inverted V- shaped 4intermediate portion, 'said frame graduallytapering from front to rear, sustaining planes Vmounted upon the tops ofsaid W-shaped end portions and in connection with thesaid end portionspro-v viding longitudinally eztending air passages .frame graduallytapering from front 'torear, sustaining planes mounted uponV thel topsof said Wlsha-ped end portions-.and in connection with the said endportions-pro riding longitudinally extending air passages to cause themachine to sett-le on an even keel when the machine is lowering-and apair of sub-planes pivotally connected tothe rear yedge of each of saidsustaining planesi In testimony whereof I afx my signature in thepresence. of two witnesses.

- WILLIAM A. BREWER.

Witnesses.' ,p

MAX H. SRoLov1Tz, CHRISTINA T. I-IooD.-

25 to cause the machine to settle on an even keel.

